When positioned in a crossbow for firing a crossbow bolt may be received in a groove extending the length of the crossbow stock, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,133,189 and 2,786,461, or supported adjacent its ends as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,740. In all three, above-noted patents means is provided for holding the bolt in position when the bow is in the cocked configuration.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,133,189 a combination spring and back sight is mounted at the rear of the stock to engage the rear end of a bolt positioned in a longitudinally extending groove formed in the stock and to also serve as a rear sight.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,786,461 a magnet is received in a cylindrical seat formed near the forward end of the crossbow stock to attract magnetically the pointed steel end of the bolt received in the crossbow groove.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,740 a holder made of a resilient deformable material such as thin polyethylene is mounted on the forward end of the stock and provided with a central opening split at its top for receiving the forward end of a bolt positioned on the crossbow for firing.
Additionally, with respect to bows of the non-crossbow type, various devices for holding an arrow in the bow are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,483,928; 2,743,716; 3,059,631; 3,406,676; 3,499,414; 4,038,960; and 4,577,612.
It will be apparent that the activity in this area evidenced by the above-noted patents indicates a continuing concern on the part of crossbowman with maintaining a crossbow bolt in position in the cocked configuration.
This is not surprising when considering that the lack of some means for holding the bolt in place is not only inconvenient, in that a bolt otherwise will easily fall out of position if the bow is held in any other than a nearly level posture, which is often not the case when, for example, the crossbowman is walking through woods or other rough terrain or perhaps aiming downwardly from a tree stand, but could present a safety hazard if a bolt was dislodged just as it was being fired, causing it to veer off in an undesired direction.
It will be seen, therefore, that it is desirable to provide a device for maintaining a crossbow bolt in position which not only maintains the bolt securely in the firing configuration, but is easily operated and does not interfere with the bolt's release upon firing.